2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the release of one of the most popular horror movies ever made, Friday the 13th, the movie that launched my favorite franchise. Last year, the Friday the 13th franchise rights holders at Horror Inc. announced that they were launching the Jason Universe, which would encompass “new Friday the 13th activations that will span a wide range of platforms from entertainment, games, immersive experiences, merchandise and more to be announced @JasonUniverse13 on social media or by visiting the official Jason Universe website.” At the center of the celebration was a 15 minute short film called Sweet Revenge, which will be released through the Jason Universe YouTube channel and through a site hosted by Angry Orchard Hard Cider back in August – and the franchise will continue expanding soon. Not only are the rights holders collaborating with A24 and the Peacock streaming service on the upcoming prequel series Crystal Lake, but they’ve also confirmed that they’re actively working on a new feature film sequel, which will be the thirteenth film in the franchise!
Just yesterday, we were wondering what’s the next step for the franchise, and now producer Robert Barsamian has revealed what he’s got in the works. He told SFX magazine, “We are actively working on a new movie – which will be the 13th in the franchise – as well as a new video game.” He added that Jason Voorhees will “return in other unexpected ways” beyond the new film and game, as we saw with the unexpected Sweet Revenge.
Horror Inc. CMO Sheri Conn also commented on the controversial redesign of Jason’s hockey mask: “We reimagined the eyes on his mask to make Jason look even more menacing and paid homage to the franchise with the 13 holes in the mask. The new design (of the mask and the character) will be used across the board, with some slight differences in interpretation to fit the specific context of each project.”
When asked about continuity between upcoming projects and the films we already have, Barsamian simply said, “We’re exploring a variety of opportunities, but consistently staying focused on authenticity.“
Are you glad to hear that Horror Inc. plans to get the thirteenth Friday the 13th movie out into the world as soon as possible and that they’re actively working on the project? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
